With the strongly-backed King Blue's defection from the J.J. Rhatigan & Company Maiden Hurdle, Millie Le Bach (2s into 15/8) was left to head the market and she prevailed, but only just, under in-form local rider Brian Cawley. The Bach mare now heads for the paddocks.

Fresh from a double at Kilbeggan last Friday evening, Cawley must surely have thought he'd have to settle for second best here as the pace-setting Ram Them All continued his bid for glory over the last.

He had no more to give in the closing stages though and Millie Le Bach, owned, trained and bred by the Cummins family in County Waterford, came home best to get on top by a short head.

"She's in-foal to Windsor Knot and that was her last run. I wasn't going to run her at all but Brian Cawley rang me from Adelaide (on the jockey's challenge Down Under) last Sunday week and he said run Millie Le Bach in Galway, I'll ride her and she'll win.

"I said to him I won't run her as it won't suit her. He said to me I'm telling you now to run her, enter her for me, I'll ride her and she will win!

"Anyway she's retired now. We are keeping her for old times sake as she is one of the last of the breed my father had, God be good to him. That was her second win (won a 'point' too), she should have won again long ago but she had a lot of leg trouble along the way." (DM & EM)